


Dragonriders

by Awkward1



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Cas is in love with his best friend, Dean doesn't realize he has feelings for Cas, Dragonrider fic, Dragonriders of Pern - Freeform, Fantasy setting, M/M, Oblivious Dean, heavily influenced by Anne McCaffrey, protective!Dean, virgin!cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 20:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5599327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkward1/pseuds/Awkward1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas had been presented to the hatchlings every year since he and Dean had been chosen at age ten.  While Cas had stood quietly in the corner of the hatching sands, watching damp dragons slowly rocking out of mottled eggs and stumbling towards the children they bonded with; Dean had imprinted on Impala, a big male, a rare bronze, so dark he almost looked black in the sunlight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dragonriders

**Author's Note:**

> This is heavily influenced by the world of Pern created by Anne McCaffrey. I posted this as an outline on my Tumblr a while back and really loved the idea so I expanded it a little. I might write more if there is any interest. This hasn't been beta'd but its pretty short so hopefully I didn't mess up too bad.
> 
> Things you might need to know. Dragons hatch and imprint on one human they choose. This bond is a lifetime bond. Dragons come in many colors. Gold = queen, Bronze = male, mate with queens, Brown, Green and Blue.  
> Weyr = where dragons and their riders live  
> Hold = where the general population lives  
> Between = An area of nothingness and sensory deprivation between "here" and "there." Dragons and their riders spend moments between as they travel between two points in space and time. It is extremely cold between.

  Cas had been presented to the hatchlings every year since he and Dean had been chosen at age ten.  While Cas had stood quietly in the corner of the hatching sands, watching damp dragons slowly rocking out of mottled eggs and stumbling towards the children they bonded with that first year; Dean had imprinted on Impala, a big male, a rare bronze, so dark he almost looked black in the sunlight.  The years had passed and now it was Sam's turn to stand on the hatching ground sands and Cas's final chance.

The sun was shining brilliantly in a cloud free sky as Sam watched Dean bathe Impala in the warm waters of the inlet near the mountain they all called home.  Inside the imposing edifice of rock forming the horizon behind their backs, a warren of caves and tunnels formed their home.  Cas was leaning against the rocky outcropping that formed a ledge around the area the riders used to bathe their dragons.  As Impala flung himself into the deeper jewel-bright waters, diving deep to scrub his tough hide against the coarse sands of the bottom, Dean watched, a quiet pride in his eyes as he watched his dragon’s antics.  Dean had tried to explain what the bond felt like many times to Cas and Sam.  He said that once a dragon chose his rider, it was like finding another part of yourself.  The bond was instantaneous once your eyes met. Sam had listened eagerly and nodded, ready to experience the joy of being chosen for himself.  

After all these years, Cas had given up hope that he would ever be chosen.  He knew after he stood on the sands of the hatching ground for a final time once the next clutch hatched, he would be considered dragonless and a source of pity to many of the weyrfolk.  He hadn’t told anyone yet, but he was planning on leaving the weyr as soon as he was able.  He couldn’t stand the thought of living his life out as a source of pity.  The past few years had been bad enough.  Once there wasn’t any doubt of his permanent dragonless status, he knew the pity would become unbearable.  Maybe he could find work in one of the nearby holds or travel north to try to become an apprentice.

“Maybe you’ll imprint on a bronze tomorrow, Cas.  Meg would love that.” Dean laughed as he shrugged out of his drenched tunic.  “I know she would love for someone to give Crowley’s bronze some competition whenever her queen is broody again.” He stood bare chested in the sunlight, causing Cas to be distracted by the path of water droplets trailing across his shoulders from freckle to freckle.  

“Why don’t you let Impala try to outfly Crowley’s dragon during the next mating flight?” Sam asked, his voice cracking with curiosity.

Dean shook his head and gestured toward Impala as the dragon hauled his body out of the water and flopped down on the beach to sun himself dry.  “I think I’m going to make sure we are on a scouting trip as soon as Meg’s queen starts to show signs.  There’s something about Meg I just don’t trust.”

Cas doesn't say anything because he has a sick feeling in his stomach trying to think how to explain the dread he feels in his stomach at the thought of having to participate in a mating flight.  Growing up in the weyr, he was used to the more open attitude of the dragonfolk when it came to sexuality and the open relationships of their people.  He knew the people in the holds were much more traditional in their views.  But even in the weyr, Cas wasn’t sure how to explain the feelings he harbored towards his best friend.

Early the next morning, the call went through the weyr.  The newest clutch was beginning to hatch.  Old Lenore, the ancient gold queen was watching quietly as her eggs rocked gently on the sands.  Once the last hatchling had paired off she would take the leap Between and follow her rider Naomi in death.  Naomi had died quietly a few weeks ago of a wasting illness.  The only thing keeping Lenore from jumping between upon the moment of her death, as any riderless dragon would do, was the eggs she had been brooding over for the previous months.  

Cas stood on the hatching grounds beside Sam and watched as a gangly brown imprinted on Sam.  Charlie got a bronze.  It was unusual for a girl to imprint on a bronze. The rest of the eggs hatch rapidly, then all of the hatchlings are imprinted and Cas stands alone.  Sick with the realization that after this he will have to go live outside of the weyr in a hold with the dragonless people.  He was probably too old to be considered as an apprentice to one of the journeymen.  

Then, as he was heading off of the hot hatching ground sands, he climbed up to watch the queen egg hatch.  Queen eggs had become more and more uncommon in the past years.  This new queen would be a boon to their people.  Without a queen dragon in their hold, the other dragons would weaken and lose strength. The girls who had been chosen to be presented to the queen hatchling were all standing in their white gowns around the golden egg, waiting as it rocked back and forth.  He turned and watched the tiny golden head peek out of the crack that formed, and watched in awe as the girls stepped forward, each trying to be the lucky one that the queen hatchling would choose; for whomever was chosen would essentially hold power and prestige over the weyr.  

The little queen freed herself from the shell and stumbled past the girls, tripping her way across the sands, trying to stretch her wings out as she wobbled so they would dry faster.  He watched her head tilt around, golden eyes wheeling as she searched for someone.  As their eyes meet, Cas felt his world change; because she chose him.  He suddenly it felt like he is sharing his soul with another being.  

  
“Her name is Oriel.” Cas said, with a shocked cry.  Dean, who had been watching the whole thing went white as a sheet because a queen dragon has just chosen a male rider and that had never happened before.  Dean watched Cas, his best friend stumble back onto the hot sands.  Wiith a shaking hand Cas reached forward to scratch the little queen’s eye ridge as chaos erupted around them when the rest of the weyr realized what has happened.


End file.
